Wire-cutting attachment for rifles.



A. BIGOS.

WIRE CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR RIFLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, I9I8.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Y A. BIGOSJ WIRE CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR RlFLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 191.8.

1,2?7,031. Patnted Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FIG. 3-

.fle. 4. FIG. 5. 1; 1:9 20 1 a5 ANDIR/ZEJ IBIGOS, OF LORAIN, OHIO.

WIRE-CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR RIFLES.

7 Application filed June 20, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDRZEJ Bisos, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lorain, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVire-Cutt-ing Attachments for Rifles of which the following is a specification.-

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a wire cutter for rifles formed in connection with a bayonet member for the rifle the structure being such that the device is readily locked in its inoperative position so as not to obstruct or interfere with the usual operation of the firing arm and bayonet. Y

A further object of the invention is the provision of a wire cutting attachment compactly arranged upon the bayonet of a rifle ready for instant use in cutting through barbed wire ei'it-anglements', the device being light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating haracters correspond to parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a muzzle portion of a rifle with a bayonet mounted thereon provided with my device. the blade of the bayonet being broken away and the device being illustrated by dotted lines in its operative open position;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same-with the barrel as well as the blade broken away;

Figs. fl: and 5 are transverse sectional views taken upon lines IV-IV and VV, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the wire cutting lever detached; and

Fig.7 is a perspective view' of the cooperating portion of the bayonet upon which the cutting lever is adapted to be mounted.

My invention comprises a wire cutting attachment and is herein illustrated in connection with a bayonet having a blade 10 and a shank or handle 11 adapted for employment as a knife or sword when detached from the rifle but herein illustrated operatively mounted upon a rifle barrel 12. The bayonet handle 11 is provided with a sleeve 13 through which the barrel 12 extends and is secured by means of a screw 14 while a recess 15 at the rear end of the bayonet handle 11 is adapted for receiving a lug 16 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Serial No. 240,953.

adjacent the inner end of the said blade.v

A cutting notch 21 is provided in the curved end22 of the jaw 18 adapted to cooperate with a similar notch 23 in the adjacent side or rear edge 2a of the blade 10. The lever 17 has a flat handle portion 25 positioned upon the opposite side of the handle 11 from the wooden hand insert or block 26, the said handle portion 25 of the lever being of substantially the same appearance as the insert 26 when the wire cutter is closed and forming a complete handle to be readily grasped by the operator when using thebayonet as a sword or knife when the same is detached from the barrel 12. At such times also the sleeve 13 forms a guard for the hand, the said sleeve having an extension 27 extending from the opposite side of the bayonet and provided with a dovetailed socket 28 adapted for the reception of a complementary shaped lug 29 mounted upon an ear 80 of the lever 17.

The free end 31 of the lever 17 is beveled as well as inclined and adapted for reception beneath an overhanging flange 82 of the handle 11 so formed as to receive the said end when the lever is closed upon the handle to form a substantially unbroken side for the bayonet handle 11. The lever 17 is readily swung upon the pivot pin 19 into its open position as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings for positioning the aw notch 21 in alinement with the bayonet notch 23. A wire being positioned within the said notches 21 and 23, the lever 17 is moved by means of its handle 25 toward the bayonet handle 11 thereby severing the wire upon the closing of said lever. During the closing of the lever 17, the lug 29 seats within the socket 28 and whereby the ear30 and the extension 27 form a part of the hand guard of which the sleeve 13 constitutes the other portion. The flange 32 is positioned at an angle transversely of the handle 11 adapted for the wedging reception of the free end 31 of the lever 17 therebeneath. It will be understood that the cutting edge 43 of the blade 10 which is opposite the rear edge 24 thereof is positioned away from the barrel 12.

The portion 33 of the lever 17 upon which the car 30 is mounted is reduced in thickness for fitting beneath a finger portion 3a of the sleeve 13, a cutaway portion 35 being provided for the reduced portion 13 of the lever for fitting over a plate portion 36 beneath the finger 3%. A latch 37 in the form of a button is mounted for turning upon the finger 34: by means of a shaft 38 while a depending pin 39 is carried by the button 37 for seating in a curved keeper opening 40 in the ear 80. It will be seen that when the latch pin is moved within the keeper opening it) the lever 17 will be locked against movement, while by turning the latch 3'? for removing the pin 39 from the opening 410, the lever 17 is released and may be freely moved u pon its pivot pin 19. A guide for the lever 17 is also provided in the form of an arcuate groove 41 formed on the lower side of the lever 17 at the reduced portion 33 thereof, while a pin 42 carried by the bayonet 10 extends into the said groove, thereby limiting the outward shifting or opening movement of the lever 17. l n this manner, the notches 21 and will be in operative alinement when the lever 17 is at the extreme limit of movement during the opening operation, while the lever is then readily closed for severing the wire and is easily locked in its closed position by turning the latch button 37. By reason of the engagement of the ear lug 29 within the socket 28 and the lever handle end 31 beneath the flange 32 as well as the latch 37 for locking the lever closed, the device only forms a strong handle for the bayonet when the cutting attachment is closed so that the same does not interfere with the employment of the bayonet either when fixed upon the barrel 12 or when detached there from and employed as a sword.

What I claim as new is 1. A bayonet including a blade having a side notch and provided with a handle at the base of the blade, a lever pivoted to the blade having a notched jaw at its pivoted end adapted for cooperating with the notch of the blade during the cutting of wires, the free end of the lever being inclined and beveled, an overhanging flange carried by the handle of the bayonet adapted for the reception of said free end of the lever when the wire cutter is closed, means adapted for limiting the outward opening movement of the lever for positioning said notches in alinement with each other when the lever is open, a side extension upon the bayonet having a dove-tailed socket, an ear upon the lever having a projecting lug complementary shaped with respect to said socket and adapted for reception therein when the wire cutter is closed, and locking means for the lever.

2. A. bayonet including a blade having a side notch and provided with a handle at the base of the blade, a lever pivoted to the blade having a notched jaw at its pivoted end adapted for cooperating with the notch of the blade during the cutting of wires, the free end of the lever being inclined and beveled, an overhanging flange carried by the handle of the bayonet ada )t-ed for the reception of said free end 0 the lever when the wire cutter is closed, means adapted for limiting the outward opening movement of the lever for positioning said notches in alinement with each other when the lever is open, a side extension upon the bayonet having a dove-tailed socket, an ear upon the lever having a projecting lug complementary shaped with respect to said socket and adapted for reception therein when the wire cutter is closed, a finger overlying the bayonet adapted for the reception of a portion of said lever therebeneath when the lever is closed with the end of said finger in abutting relation with the adjacent end of said ear, a latch button journaled upon said finger, a locking pin depending from said button, the said ear having a curved keeper opening adapted for the reception of the said pin during the turning of the button when the lever is closed upon the handle whereby the lever is restrained against opening.

3. In combination with a bayonet having a blade and a handle, a lever pivoted to the blade, the said blade and lever having cooperating cutting notches adapted for the reception of a wire, an attaching sleeve carried by the bayonet having a projecting finger overlying the latter with a block positioned therebeneath, an extension upon the bayonet opposite said sleeve having a dovetailed socket, a latch button journaled upon said finger, a depending pin carried by said button, the said lever having a reduced portion provided with cutaway side adapted for engaging over the said block when the cutaway portion is positioned beneath the finger upon closing the lever, an ear carried by the reduced portion of the lever adapted for abutting the adjacent end of the finger when the lever is closed, the said ear having a curved keeper opening adapted for receiving the said pin during the turning of the button, and a projecting lug carried by the ear adapted for retaining reception within the socket of the extension when the lever is closed.

4. In combination with a bayonet having a blade and a handle, a lever pivoted to the blade, the said blade and lever having cooperating cutting notches adapted for the reception of a wire, an attaching sleeve carried by the bayonet having a projecting finger overlying the latter with a block positi oned therebeneath, an extension upon the bayonet opposite said sleeve having a dovetailed socket, a latch button journaled upon said finger, a depending pin carried by said button, the said lever having a reduced portion provided with cutaway side adapted for engaging over the said block when the cutaway portion is positioned beneath th' finger upon closing the lever, an car carried by the reduced portion of the lever adapted for abutting the adjacent end of the finger when the lever is closed, the said ear having a curved keeper opening adapted for receiving the said pin during the turning of the button, a projecting lug carried by the ear adapted for retaining reception within the socket of the extension when the lever is closed, a curved groove in the. under face of the reduced portion of the lever, a stop pin carried by the bayonet extending within the said groove adapted for limiting the opening movement of the lever to position said notches in alinement with each other, and an inclined flange carried by the bayonet handle, the free end of the lever being beveled and inclined adapted for wedging reception beneath the said flange when the lever is closed.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

ANDRZEJ BIGOS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Qommissioner' of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

